Art in the Docks: ALICE

The voyage of the steam paddle ship Princess Alice from Gravesend to North Woolwich on 3 September 1878 ended in tragedy. She sank in the River Thames at Gallions Reach killing hundreds of ordinary Londoners returning home from a day trip to the seaside. This tragedy, now largely forgotten, dominated newspaper headlines and led to fundamental changes to the shipping industry.

No passenger list or headcount was made, so the exact figure of those who died has therefore never been known, but more than 600 people died. It remains the greatest loss of life in any British inland waterway shipping accident.

This collaboration between Christopher Mike, Painter and Vincenzo Muratore, Sculptor, will explore the stories of this tragic voyage and seek to make their own record of what remains an important milestone in our community’s local history.